Tuxedo darter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tuxedo darter
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Percidae
Genus:	Etheostoma
Species:	E. lemniscatum
Binomial name
Etheostoma lemniscatum Blanton, 2008
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The tuxedo darter (Etheostoma lemniscatum) is a small, colorful freshwater fish. It's a type of ray-finned fish that belongs to a group called darters. These darters are part of a bigger fish family known as Percidae, which also includes fish like perches. The tuxedo darter is special because it's found only in the Southeast United States, specifically in the Cumberland River system.

What Does It Look Like?

The tuxedo darter was officially recognized as its own species in 2008. Before that, it was thought to be the same as another fish called the duskytail darter. Scientists later realized that the duskytail darter was actually a group of several different species, including our tuxedo darter!

You can tell the tuxedo darter apart from other similar fish by looking at its anal fin. This fin is located a bit further back on its body compared to its close relatives.

Where Does It Live?

The tuxedo darter lives in the Cumberland River system. This river flows through north-central Tennessee and into McCreary County, Kentucky. For a long time, scientists only knew about one small group of tuxedo darters living in a place called Station Camp Creek in Scott County, Tennessee.

But good news! In 2000, more tuxedo darters were found. Scientists discovered six new spots where they lived, stretching over 19 kilometers (about 12 miles) from the original site. They estimated there were about 300 to 600 of these fish. More places where they live have been found since then!

The Cumberland River flows through the Cumberland Plateau. This area has soil that's not very rich, and it has a history of human activities like coal mining and farming. These activities can sometimes harm the places where animals live. Luckily, a large part of this region is now protected by the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. This park helps keep the tuxedo darter's home safe.

How It Lives: Food and Family

The tuxedo darter is a bottom-dwelling fish, meaning it spends most of its time near the riverbed. It has special colors that help it blend in with its surroundings, making it hard for predators to spot.

These fish usually live for only one to two years. They don't travel far from where they were born. Unlike some other darters, tuxedo darters like to live in larger streams and moderately big rivers.

The tuxedo darter is an insectivore, which means it eats insects. Its favorite foods include tiny crustaceans and chironomid larvae. It might also snack on heptageniid nymphs found under rocks.

Tuxedo darters become old enough to have babies when they are more than one year old and at least 39 millimeters (about 1.5 inches) long. They like to lay their eggs under flat rocks or boulders in the river. A male darter will guard a nest that can hold eggs from one or more females. These nests can be up to 50 meters (about 164 feet) upstream from where the adults usually hang out. The eggs are laid in clusters.

Scientists have studied a related fish, the citico darter, to learn more about how these fish reproduce. The citico darter can lay eggs five to seven times a year, with each batch having up to 101 eggs! They lay eggs when the water temperature is between 17 and 24 degrees Celsius (about 63 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit).

Tuxedo darters prefer parts of the river that are about 23 to 61 meters (76 to 201 feet) wide and 39 to 89 centimeters (15 to 35 inches) deep. They like areas with slabrock, cobble, and boulders on the river bottom.

Keeping Them Safe

The tuxedo darter and its close relatives were first noticed in the Cumberland River in 1976. Because there were so few of them, these four different species were listed as federally endangered in 1993. This means they are protected by law.

As we mentioned, the Big South Fork region has faced challenges from farming and industries like coal mining in the past. These activities can cause dirt and pollution to get into the water, which is harmful to fish like the tuxedo darter.

However, the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area was created in 1974. This park became the first important step in protecting the tuxedo darter's home, even before scientists fully knew about this specific fish!

Currently, there aren't any special programs to raise tuxedo darters in captivity, like in a fish hatchery. But protecting their natural river habitat is key to their survival. Like many water animals in the Southeast U.S., tuxedo darters are very sensitive to changes in the riverbed, especially from dirt and mud caused by farming. Protecting their clean, clear river homes is super important for their future!